Hydrotherapy and massage boot



A ril 16, 1968 Filed June 23, 1965 R. s. CLAYCOMB ET AL 3,378,004

HYDROI'HERAPY AND MASSAGE BOOT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Richard S. C/aycamb Ja/m E. Chase Norman M. Umpire/70w 1 N VENTORS April 1968 R. s. CLAYCOMB ET AL 3,378,004

HYDROTHERAPY AND MASSAGE BOOT Filed June 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet Fig. 4 5

39 v 37 /5 v I @370 0 34 I O O 35 o o 0 o o Richard S. C/aycomb John E. Chase Norman W. Umphenour 1 N VEN TORS VBY WWW mm United States Patent 0 3,378,004 HYDRDTHERAPY AND MASSAGE B'ZBGT Richard S. Cle /comb, 1907 11th Ave. N., Grand Forks, N. Dab. 532%1; .iohn E. Chase, 3725 Midvaie Ave., Los Angeies, Calif. 96934; and Norman W. Umphenour, 643 S. Fershing, Wichita, Kans. 67218 Filed June 23, 1965, Ser. No. 466,196

6 Claims. (Cl. 128-456) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A portable hydrotherapy and massage device including a double-walled resilient body member-encompassing open-topped receptacle adapted to retain a therapeutic liquid about a body member retained therein. The upper portion of the receptacle is provided with a means for drawing the inner wall thereof into generally sealing contact with the body member therein. The device is provided with fluid circulating, heating and vibrating means for therapeutic fluid normally introduced within the interior of the body member encompassing receptacle thereby providing a substantially self-contained, highly portable, hydrotherapy and massage device.

This invention relates generally to a novel and useful device for providing hydrotherapy and hydrotherapy massage treatments to the limbs of human beings or animals. More particularly, this invention relates to a readily portable therapeutic device for the application of moist heat, dry heat, moist cold and dry cold to the limb of an animal contained therein.

The most commonly used physical therapy treatments require the application of heat or cold in either a moist or dry condition, and the use of massage. The application of heat to the tissue of the limb being treated causes the relaxation of peripheral arteries, capillaries, and veins, thereby increasing the volume of blood circulated in the area so treated. This increase in the circulation of the blood brings about an increase in fluid exchange between the tissues and the blood, and accordingly afiords the white blood cells a better opportunity to combat any disease organisms present. In addition, an increase in the circulation of blood is extremely important in instances where antibiotics are being administered to control bad infections in a wound, inasmuch as the increase of blood fiow delivers a higher concentration of the antibiotic to the area of the wound.

The application of cold is normally desirable to effect the prevention of swelling at the site of an injury and is generally applied by the use of either moist or dry cold. The utilization of cold brings about a reduction of blood circulation in the area of the wound and a subsequent lowering of tissue metabolism thereby reducing or preventing swelling.

In addition, the utilization of a massaging action upon the limb being treated in a valuable adjunct to the application of heat or cold in the treatment of a body member. This is particularly true during and following the applications of heat to the body member.

Heretofore, various devices have been proposed which may be utilized for the hydrotherapy treatment of a body member. They are generally not satisfactory for several reasons, one of which is the fact that the devices are either too cumbersome or too complicated to permit their convenient utilization in the treatment of a limb of an animal, for example.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a hydrotherapy and massage boot which is adapted to encompass a substantial portion of an animals limb to facilitate the application of therapeutic treatments thereto.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hydro- "ice therapy and massage boot which may be utilized for the application of both moist or dry heat or cold to the limb being treated.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel construction for a hydrotherapy and massage boot which is constructed of a substantially inert relatively rigid resilient material which is provided, integral therewith, all the necessary adjuncts required to carry out therapeutic treatments of the nature described, upon the limb being treated.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a hydrotherapy and massage boot which is provided with an integral fluid circulating pump, heating means, and vibratory massage means thereby providing a device which may be readily and conveniently utilized to therapeutically treat the limbs of animals.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a fluid impervious inner liner that may be optionally utilized to prevent the limb being treated from being Wetted by the treating fluid contained Within the boot, when it is desired to utilize the application of dry heat or cold.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the hydrotherapy and massage boot of the present invention illustrated as operatively positioned in encompassing relation to an animals leg;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the device of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the boot taken substantially along the plane of the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 44 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2 illustrating various interior details of the operating mechanism of the hydrotherapy and massage boot.

Referring now to the drawings and FIGURES 1 and 2 in particular, there is illustrated a hydrotherapy and massage boot indicated generally at 10 which includes a receptacle 12 formed of a suitable resilient, but relatively rigid plastic such as expanded polyethylene marketed by the Dow Chemical Company under the trademark of Ethafoam, for example. The receptacle 12 is of a generally cylindrical configuration which is provided with a rigid reinforced portion 14 to resist penetration of the receptacle 12 by the body member, or leg, being treated therein. The primary function of the receptacle 12 is to provide a means of applying heat or cold and massage to the body member through an intermediate fluid, and preferably a liquid, contained within the receptacle 12.

The hydrotherapy and massage boot 10 is further provided with a housing means indicated generally at 16 which is adapted to provide a support and enclosure means for the devices which are utilized to heat the fluid contained within the receptacle 12, provide circulation of the fluid, and impart a vibratory or massage action upon the body member being treated.

The hydrotherapy and massage boot 10 is held in an operative position on the body member by a plurality of web belts 18 or the like which pass through suitable rings 29 secured to, or integrally molded with, the receptacle 12. The ends of the belting 18 may be secured in the rings 20 by the utilization of conventional D buckles 22. The upper portion of the interior of the receptacle 12 may be secured in substantially sealing relationship with regard to the body member encompassed therein by means of a belt or the line 24 provided with a conventional D ring buckle 26 or the like.

Referring now to FIGURE 4 in particular it will be noted that the receptacle 12 of the hydrotherapy massage boot 10 includes an outer wall 28 and an inner wall 34) which coact to define an annular space 32 therebetween. Adjacent the upper end the receptacle 12 is further provided with an annular manifold 34 the function of which will be described in detail later. The annular manifold 34 functions as an aspirating intake for any liquid which may leak past the seal provided by the tightening of the belt 24. Adjacent its lower end the outer wall 28 and the inner wall 30 define an annular pump distribution manifold 36 which communicates with the interior of the receptacle 12 by means of a plurality of apertures 38 provided in the wall 31 which wall may be integrally molded with or adhesively secured to the inner wall 39. The annular space 32 is divided from the annular pump discharge manifold 36 by the horizontally disposed wall 33 which may be integrally formed or adhesively secured to the inner wall 30 or the member 31 and subsequently adhesively secured to the inner periphery of the outer wall 28 so as to provide a hermetic seal between the two respective annular spaces.

As seen best in FIGURES 4 and 5, the upper portion of the annular space 32 may be hermetically sealed from the annular pump intake manifold 34 by adhesively securing and sealing the exterior wall 28 and the interior wall in contiguous relationship such as at points 35.

With particular reference to FIGURE 4, it will be noted that the bottom portion 14 of the receptacle 12 is of substantially greater thickness than the upstanding walls 28 and 30 in order to prevent severing of the bottom portion 14 by the hoof of the animal. Preferably the bottom portion 14 may be molded from a suitable relatively rigid and abrasion resistant plastic such as marketed by the Dow Chemical Company under the trade name of Saraloy, which is further reinforced with a bar of randomly oriented glass fibers 15. The bottom portion 14 may be adhesively secured in sealing relationship to the exterior wall 28 and the lower portion 31 of the interior wall 30.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, it may be seen that the housing means indicated generally at 16 may be integrally molded with the exterior wall 28. The housing 16 is provided with an opening 17 of rectangular or other suitable cross-sectional configuration to provide means of placing a support member 40 into the position shown in FIGURE wherein it may be frictionally or adhesively secured within an annular groove 42 provided at the juncture of the wall 28 and the housing 16. It will be understood that the housing 16 is sufiiciently flexible to permit the withdrawal of the support member 40 from the position shown in FIGURE 5 in order to facilitate servicing a plurality of components secured to the interior of the support member 40.

With further reference to FIGURE 5 it will be noted that an electrically operated fluid recirculating pump means 50 is secured to the support member 40 adjacent its upper portion. The pump means 50 as well as the other electrical components to be described hereinafter are connected to a suitable source of low voltage current 52 by a suitable conductor 54. The device 52 is preferably a stepdown transformer which derives its power from a suitable source of line current by a suitable conductor 56. The output of the transformer 52 is preferably about 24 volts, or some other suitably low voltage which would preclude the possibility of an injurious shock being imparted to the animal being treated should the electrical components of the device become inadvertently grounded to the animal.

The pumping means 5-3 includes an intake 6i which connects to the interior of the receptacle 12 by means of an aperture 62 in the interior wall 39. The aperture 62 is provided with an inlet screen 64. The intake 60 is further provided with a conduit 61 which connects the annular intake manifold 34 with the intake 60. The annular manifold 34 communicates with the interior of the receptacle 12 by virtue of a plurality of screened apertures 37 which are provided in the walls 30. The annular manifold 34 may also be provided with one or more apertures such as indicated at 39 to permit the intake of a certain amount of air into the pump means 50 for reasons which will become clear.

The discharge of the pump means 50 is connected by means of a suitable conduit 63 to the annular pump discharge manifold 36.

The hydrotherapy and massage unit 10 is further provided with a dial thermometer 69 and thermostatic switch assembly 76. The thermostatic switch assembly is connected to a suitable electrical resistance heating element 72, which may be integrally molded in or adhesively secured to the interior wall 28. The electrical resistance 'heating element 72 is preferably disposed about the inner periphery of the wall 28 in a helical configuration so as to provide an effective heating surface extending substantially along the entire length of the interior of the receptacle 12.

A vibrator means indicated generally at 89 is also carried by the support member 48 adjacent the lower end 7 thereof and includes a vibrating member 82 which is embedded in, or otherwise secured to the wall 30 as seen best in FIGURE 5.

The heating means 70 and the vibratory means are connected to the power cord 54 by suitable electrical conductors, such as schematically shown in FIGURE 5.

As stated supra, the support member 44) and all the various components carried thereby are adapted to be snapped out of the housing 16 in order to facilitate servicing thereof. Accordingly, although not shown, it will be understood that all of the various members of the pumping means 50, heating means 70 may be provided with coupling means to facilitate the removal and servicing of the components carried by the support member 49.

In operation, the hydrotherapy and massage boot 10 may be placed in encompassing relationship to an animals limb such as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 and then filled to the approximate height of the belt 24 with a suitable liquid such as water, or water and suitablesuspension or solution of medicaments as water, or water and suitable suspension or solution of medicaments therein. At this point the upper end of the boot 10 would be supported by the straps 18 which pass over the back or hips of the animal. The strap 24 will extend circumferentially around the boot 10 and be drawn tight and secured by the buckle 26 to substantially seal the inner wall 30 of the boot 10 against the leg of the animal.

With the connector 56 connected to any suitable source of line current, the pump means 50 will be energized through a conventional switch, not shown, to intake water through the inlet 62, from the interior of the receptacle 12 and discharge the water by way of conduit 63, annular pump discharge 36 and the apertures 38 communicating between the manifold 36 and the interior of the receptacle 12 thereby establishing a circulation of the fluid contained therein. It will also be noted that by virtue of the conduit 61 connected to the intake tube 61 the pump means 50 will draw fluid from the annular manifold 34. Under normal circumstances the conduit 61 will draw air through the aperture 39 and into the intake of the pump means 50 thereby introducing a stream of bubbles with the liquid discharging from the apertures 38 in a manner which is known to be beneficial in hydrotherapy treatments. In addition, should any liquid seep past the seal provided by the tightening of the belt 24, it will drain through the apertures 37 into the anular manifold 34 and will consequently be aspirated by the tube 61 into the intake 6% of the pump means 54 thereby substantially precluding the overflow of any liquid from the top of the receptacle 12.

The thermostatically controlled heating means 70 may be selectively adjusted to a predetermined temperature setting to provide a means of heating the fluid within the receptacle 12 to a desired temperature. In the event that a cold treatment is desired, the cold water or ice water may be utilized in which case the thermostatic controlled heating means 7 9 would be switched off. By virtue of the fact that the intake of the pump means 59 is provided with a screen 64 it is possible to place crushed ice or the like in the receptacle 12 along with the liquid utilized.

If a vibratory massage treatment is desired in addition to the hydrotherapy treatment it is merely necessary to actuate the vibratory means 80 thereby imparting a vibratory tion to the member 82 which in turn transmits the vibratory motion to the wall 36 and subsequently to the liquid contained within the receptacle 12 thus affecting a massaging action upon the leg of the animal.

As seen best in FIGURES 4 and 5 the hydrotherapy and massage boot 10 is also preferably provided with a helical rib 41 which is integrally molded with or adhesively secured to the interior of the wall 38 to provide an upwardly extending spiral flow path for the fluid discharging from the apertures 38 into the interior of the receptacle 12 thereby assuring a more efficient circulation of the fluid being recirculated.

Although not shown, a flexible plastic bag may be placed over the animals leg prior to placing the leg in the boot 10 to maintain the leg in a dry condition when the application of a substantially dry heat or dry cold must be utilized. When operating in this manner the operation of the device will be substantially identical to that as described above.

In addition, although not shown, it would be possible to provide a boot of the general nature illustrated and described which may be utilized on an intermediate portion of an animals limb by truncating the lower portion of the boot below the member 31, for example, and extending tie walls 23 and 3a) in such a manner as to provide a means of sealing the boot both top and bottom against a body member encompassed therein in a manner such as is provided by the belt 24 which in the embodiment shown, seals the top member 12 against the body member encompassed therein.

It may therefore be seen that there has been provided a novel structure for a hydrotherapy and massage boot which is readily portable and eflicient for the use intended and which may be utilized to carry out a variety of hydrotherapy and massage treatments on the limb of an animal.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a portable hydrotherapy and massage device comprising a generally cylindrical vertically elongated body member encompassing receptable means, said receptacle means being provided with an open top and a closed bottom whereby said receptacle means is adapted to retain a liquid about a body member retained th rein, said receptable means being further provided with means for treating said fluid contained therein to impart a therapeutic treatment to the body member retained therein, an encircling means spaced inwardly from the top of said receptacle means to urge said receptacle into sealing relationship with said body member, said means for treating fluid contained in said receptacle comprising a pump means, a vibratory means and a heating means carried by a support means integral with said receptacle means.

2. in combination, a portable hydrotherapy and massage device comprising a generally cylindrical vertically elongated body member encompassing receptacle means, said receptacle means being provided with an open top and a closed bottom whereby said receptacle means is adapted to retain a liquid about a body member retained therein, said receptacle means being further provided with means for treating said fluid contained therein to impart a therapeutic treatment to the body member retained therein, an encircling means spaced inwardly from the top of said receptacle means to urge said receptacle into sealing relationship with said body member, said cylindrical receptacle means comprising a boot formed of a relatively rigid resilient material, said boot having an inner and an outer wall defining an annular space therebetween, means dividing said annular space into a plurality of annular manifolds, said fluid treating means being carried by said exterior wall of said boot, said fluid treating means comprising means to circulate, heat and vibrate the liquid contained within said boot.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said fluid treaing means comprises a liquid circulating pump means provided with means to intake liquid from the interior of said boot and discharge said liquid into one of said annular manifolds, at least one aperture connecting said annular pump discharge manifold with the interior of said boot in generally spaced apart relation from said pump intake means to circulate the fluid contained within said boot, and a helical flow path means integral with the interior surface of said interior wall to direct the fluid being circulated by said pump means in a helical path from the discharge of said pump to the intake of said pump.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein a second annular manifold is provided adjacent the top of said boot above the normal level of fluid in said boot, means connecting the interior of said boot above the normal level of liquid in said boot to said second manifold, means connecting said second manifold to the atmosphere, means connecting said second manifold to said intake of said pump means to aspire fluid from said manifold to substantially preclude the overflow of liquid from the top of said boot.

5. In combination, a portable hydrotherapy and massage device comprising a generally cylindrical vertically elongated body member encompassing receptacle means, said receptacle means being provided with an open top and a closed bottom whereby said receptacle means is adapted to retain a liquid about a body member retained therein, adjustable means encircling said boot spaced downwardly from the top thereof, said means being adjustable to draw said receptacle means into sealing engagement with a body member retained therein, said receptacle means being further provided With means for treating said fluid contained within said boot to impart a therapeutic treatment to the body member retained therein, said fluid treating means comprising a fluid circulating pump, a vibratory means, and a thermostatically controlled electrical resistance heating means, said pump means, vibratory means and heating means being carried by a support means integral with said receptacle means.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said electrical resistance heating means incluudes an electrical resistance heating element embedded in said receptacle means, said electrical resistance heating element extending in a helical configuration along substantially the entire length of the interior of said receptacle means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 615,437 12/1898 Dillon 168-2 2,272,481 2/ 1942 'Rinkes et a1. 123-66 2,832,336 4/1958 Davis et a1. 128-402 XR 3,060,892 10/1962 Schantz 119-158 FOREIGN PATENTS 757,759 10/1933 France.

L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner. 

